Jerry Lewis Retiring From Muscular Dystrophy Telethon

Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Association

5:56 pm, May 16th, 2011

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Jerry Lewis, who has tirelessly hosted the Muscular Dystrophy Association’s annual Labor Day telethon — for the past 45 years — is retiring.

The comedian issued a statement today, via the MDA, in which he said it was time for a “new telethon era.”

Lewis will appear for his final telethon on September 4, and will end as he always does by performing, “You’ll Never Walk Alone.”

Still, Lewis will remain the MDA’s national chairman, a position he’s held since the 1950s.

His first telethon in 1966 was carried by only one New York station and raised more than $1 million.

Last year’s telethon brought in nearly $59 million for muscular dystrophy and ALS research.

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